Northumberland Advice Services Receives £150k Boost

30 November 2009

Northumberland advice services will receive a £150,000 boost as DAWN Advice launches a new scheme under the social enterprise's Charitable Reserves programme.

DAWN Advice has set aside £150,000 to help make advice services more accessible to people living across Northumberland and to help those who struggle to access traditional face-to-face outlets in the county.

Seaton Burn-based, DAWN Advice has appointed a solicitor and four qualified advice workers to oversee the designation of the funding, which has been made available through the social enterprise's Charitable Reserves.

Chief Executive of DAWN Advice, Liz Chadwick says the scheme will dramatically help residents living in isolated areas across Northumberland and will bring extra advice services to rural communities.

She said: "Financial exclusion is a major concern for many rural areas so we have chosen to use a proportion of our Charitable Reserves to bring advice services closer to these communities.

"Such issues are not always easy to identify in small villages and can remain hidden - unlike in urban cities - especially in these difficult financial times.

"Transport links from rural villages can be limited and in turn this can restrict the services which residents can access. As a result of this additional funding we will be able to offer a range of advice services at key community venues to ensure these vital lifelines are within easy reach for people.

"As part of the new scheme we will identify the community need for more advice services across Northumberland, where there is an appropriate need we will allocate funding to cover the costs of running these important services. DAWN Advice has had another very successful year and we are delighted to be able to support the community in this way."

DAWN Advice is a not-for-profit organisation and to help protect it against any future uncertainties the Trustees set aside any additional funds as its Charitable Reserves. This allows charities to absorb setbacks and to put money back into the community that it serves. It is through these reserves that DAWN Advice is now able to offer this enhanced access to advice services.

Set up in 1998, DAWN Advice is a member of the UK's largest network of free, advice-providing organisations, adviceuk and is a Member of the National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau. It offers advice and information on a number of issues including debt, housing, employment, welfare benefits and family law.